WB Business

Gene Taylor has joined E.N. Bisso & Son as director of corporate growth and development. Taylor, a former 11-term U.S. congressman from Mississippi, is responsible for expanding the company’s scope of operations, which includes ship-assist operations on the Lower Mississippi River and in Gulfport, Miss., and offshore towing. The company also named Constance “Connie”Sandras the new manager of Gulfport Towing. Her responsibilities include oversight and direction of all business functions for Gulfport Towing.

Crowley Maritime Corp. was recently recognized for its environmental stewardship by the Port of Seattle and Seattle Propeller Club, which presented the company with its second consecutive honorable mention award for Marine Environmental Business of the Year.

Kirk Headley, president of American Pollution Control, New Iberia, La., has been named a finalist for the 2011 Gulf Coast Area Ernst & YoungEntrepreneur of the Year Award. Awards are given to entrepreneurs who are successful in the areas of innovation, financial performance and personal commitment to their businesses and communities. This year, which marks the 25th anniversary of the award program, there were 1,891 applicants. The program has grown to recognize business leaders in more than 135 cities in 50 countries worldwide.

Larry Rigdonhas joined the board of directors of Terresolve TechnologiesLtd, Mentor, Ohio. Terresolve provides non-toxic, biodegradable lubricating products to several industries. Rigdon, who also sits on the board of the National Ocean Industries Association, is the founder and former CEO of Rigdon MarineCorp. Terresolve’s bio-based and biodegradable fluids are renewable, support the agrarian community, and meet federal guidelines for environmentally preferable purchasing.

Jon Thielemann has joined the brokerage staff at Marcon International Inc., Coupeville, Wash. Marcon now has seven full-time brokers who track over 14,000 vessels and barges worldwide. Thielemann spent the past four years as a tanker derivatives (FFA) broker in Houston for Imarex Inc. and in New York for Poten Energy Services.